Situated in the forever-still Grampian plains, Pitch Music & Arts returns for four aural days of music and contemporary art. Bringing together a community of like-minded people for an indelible weekend, the 2020 event is shaping to be the brightest and biggest edition yet. Last year over 10 000 punters descended on the small town of Moyston to witness world-class acts like Four Tet, Charlotte De Witte, Sven Vath and more. This year will see the Australian return of Maceo Plex for the first time in 7 years; Russia’s most popular exponent of techno, Nina Kraviz; Canadian techno legend Richie Hawtin; the recently crowned best electronic live act in the world, Stephan Bodzin; everyone’s favourite DJ, Ben UFO;one of the USA’s most popular house and techno acts, The Black Madonna and many, many more…!
Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming weeks, including the roll-out of a more expanded visual arts program which will be the festival’s most involved and exciting yet.
Maceo Plex (USA)
You can’t have a discussion about the world’s biggest dance music producer/DJs without spending some time talking about Maceo Plex. For the last five-plus years the American has been producing dancefloor classic after dancefloor classic, garnering an impressive discography that is impossible to imitate. His skill behind the decks is equally as impressive, and he is adept at closing out a festival as he is headlining a 10,000 plus capacity techno warehouse. Whether Printworks, Dimensions festival, Circoloco or Boiler Room, there aren’t many events or festivals that hasn’t invited Maceo Plex to their DJ booth. Pitch Music & Arts are extremely excited to host this living legend for his first Australian shows in 7 years. Soundcloud
Nina Kraviz (RUS)
Nina Kraviz is one of the most significant artists in the global electronic scene. The Siberian born singer, producer, song-writer and a DJ is well known as a passionate record digger and for her outstanding taste in idiosyncratic electronic music. Her label трип (pronounced trip) was chosen as 2016’s record label of the year by Mixmag, following on from the huge crossover hit ‘I Wanna Go Bang’. She is also a past presenter of the BBC Radio1 Residency and compiled a sought-after compilation for the world-renowned fabric CD series. The Siberian taste-maker is well known for her musically uncompromising energetic DJ performances, where she plays music most others wouldn’t dare and for her sincere connection to the audience. This unique feeling together with a badass attitude and charismatic stage persona have earned Nina Kraviz headliner status at all the reputable festivals worldwide. She will be unmissable at Pitch Music & Arts 2020. Soundcloud
Richie Hawtin (CAN)
Richie Hawtin is a genuine original. His critical acclaim spans the creative realm of the fine art community to the technological vanguard. He is the business mind behind Plus8 and MINUS Records, nurturing a plethora of talent from Speedy J in the early 90s to Gaiser in the 2010s. And, of course, he is Plastikman, perhaps that most of all, electronic musician par excellence, maintaining an underground agenda of avant-garde electronica over six albums (and two compilations). There aren’t many artists who have done more than Richie Hawtin to move the electronic music scene forward. His most recent project, CLOSE, is an audiovisual DJ release showcasing the performer on stage deconstructing tracks and combining it into new unique versions. With his DJ set coming to the main stage of Pitch Music & Arts, you can rest assured that you are in the highly capable hands of a true techno pioneer. Soundcloud
Ben UFO (UK)
Considered one of contemporary dance music’s most daring and wide-ranging selectors, Ben UFO’s keen ear and razor-sharp technique allows him to fluidly weave between a scope of genres with ease. Growing up amongst the dubstep and drum ‘n’ bass scenes, his natural progression toward house and techno pertains foundations in the gritty UK genres he developed his craft upon, his natural evolution as a creative landing him a residency on Rinse FM and sets at Fabric, and Berghain’s Panorama Bar. Having played back to back sets with a multitude of artists such as Jackmaster, Gerd Janson, Joy Orbison and DJ Nobu, his unending versatility has kept Ben UFO a cutting edge, refreshing, and eternally relevant artist. Soundcloud
The Black Madonna (USA)
Blossoming virtually overnight from a hometown hero to one of the world’s most sought after DJ’s, The Black Madonna propelled herself to international acclaim in a matter of years. Landing a residency early on alongside the godfather of house Frankie Knuckles, it didn’t take long for Berghain’s Panorama to catch onto The Black Madonna. She won the title of Mixmag’s first-ever female DJ of the Year in 2016, and it wasn’t long after that she was voted by Resident Advisor as one of the Top 10 DJ’s on the planet, at the same time as earning a residency at London’s XOYO. With a string of guest mixes for BBC Radio 1, Resident Advisor, FACT Mag, Beats In Space, Rinse FM and filling in for the likes of Pete Tong and Gilles Peterson, no avenue of the industries creative multi-verse is untouched by The Black Madonna, her legacy showing no bounds or limitations. Soundcloud
Stephan Bodzin (Live)(GER)
Stephan Bodzin, who boasts the titles of DJ, producer, performer, and record label founder, is considered a wizard in the world of analogue synthesizers. No doubt the German-born wunderkind’s ability to use music to express his deepest thoughts and feelings came from his upbringing: he grew up amongst vintage drum machines as his father specialised in creating experimental sound. Having worked with the likes of Depeche Mode, Booka Shade, and Thomas Schumacher, his impressive collaborative exploration isn’t what’s kept Bodzin at the top of his game: it’s his ability to produce out of this universe, mind-melting live sets. And if proof was needed, look no further than the 2019 DJ Awards where he was awarded 2019’s Best Live Electronic act. Soundcloud
Hunee (GER)
Since his debut release in 2009, Hunee has been in no rush to make it big, but instead has slowly seeped out into the world, luring audiences from far and wide with his rhythmically playful and super-soul infused house stylings. As likely to draw a classic house record as he is a disco curveball, a boogie delight or mixing an African bomb into a techno record, each selection he makes is a thing of true passion. Releasing on labels like Rush Hour, Future Times and W.T. each project of his is different, but each one has a certain funk, true sense of soul or loveable house heritage that puts them up there with the best of the rest. Gracing stages at Lost Village, OFFSonar, Parklife and many more, the future promises more such delights for this notoriously deep digger, drawing fanbases in spades from all across the globe. Soundcloud
Anna (BRA)
An undisputed prodigy amongst the industries elite, ANNA has been making her mark for years now showing no signs of slowing down. Her 2018 release ‘Hidden Beauties’ maintained the number 1 spot on Beatport’s techno chart for 4 months, garnering praise from Mixmag and Pitchfork as well as support from Sven Väth and Marcel Dettmann, catapulting ANNA from one of Brazil’s best-kept secrets to an artist at the forefront of the music scene. Playing everywhere from Movement Detroit, Awakening, Tomorrowland, and DC10 Ibiza, her recent vinyl DJ set at Cercle has amassed over 2 million views on YouTube alone. Soundcloud
Hiatus Kaiyote (AUS)
Operating out of a small home studio in the mid-northern suburbs of Melbourne, the four-piece band called Hiatus Kaiyote release a unique and kaleidoscopic vision of Future Soul. In rapid-fire time Pharrell Williams was a fan, Erykah Badu was a fan. Questlove was a fan, even the late-great Prince was a fan. Their first album ‘Tawk Tomahawk’ took them to the Grammy Awards and the four corners of the globe. Last years sophomore album ‘Choose Your Weapon’ saw the band hone their sound into something even more pure, organic and forthright. It went on to win them U.K’s Jazz FM ‘Album Of The Year’ and another Grammy nomination. Hiatus Kaiyote has not only given contemporary Australian Soul music a new set of ears and eyes. They have provided the adolescent beast with a newfound fearlessness, agility, magical powers and a glorious set of wings. Soundcloud
Kobosil (Live)(GER)
Considered one of techno’s fastest rising DJs and producers, Kobosil having helped pioneer a sound that is at once deep, fast and aggressive. Born and raised in the working-class district of Berlin Neukölln, his musical aesthetic is shaped not only by his upbringing but also the cathartic energy of EBM, noise and industrial. Aside from releasing regularly on Berghain’s in-house label Ostgut Ton, Kobosil also runs his own R – Label Group imprint, which he uses as a platform to promote releases by up-and-coming Berlin producers at the forefront of a bleak and riotous approach to dance music. It’s this combination of the dark and ecstatic that is at the foundation of Kobosil’s powerful approach to techno. Soundcloud
Tijana T (SER)
For more than a decade now Tijana T has been a key figure in her native Serbian dance scene. She has gained much respect and recognition for her monthly marathon all night sets at the legendary Belgrade spot 20/4. Now she is an international name who has headlined the Boiler Room as well as many seminal clubs including Berlin’s Panorama Bar and Tresor and We Love…Space in Ibiza. Festivals like Dimensions, Hideout, Flow and Exit, are just some of the internationally renowned brands. Far from being just a DJ, Tijana T is also a talented vocalist who has provided vocals to artists including Abe Duque and techno star Marc Houle. Soundcloud
Peter van Hoesen (BEL) Belgium’s Peter Van Hoesen has never been that typical techno artist. Although considered as one of the genre’s tastemakers he is someone who sculpts sounds for many different environments – the club, the home, the gallery or museum. He does so with a true sense of personality. On his own label Time to Express he releases textural compositions and he also records to great acclaim as Sendai alongside Yves de Mey. In performance terms, Peter lays down dark and arresting techno sets as well as captivating, storytelling live musical journeys. Because of that, he is renowned around the world for his high quality, high creativity, high levels of consistency, constantly translating his personality into his music. Soundcloud
Midland (UK)
Through his productions, DJ sets and record labels, Midland’s output comes across as unassuming and surprising in equal measure, at once subtle, refined and totally raucous. As label owner of Graded, Regraded and Intergraded, he has released music that will go down as some of the early millennium’s finest productions: his own ‘Final Credits’ was even named Mixmag’s 2016 song of the year. For all of these production efforts he has received a steady stream of accolades, but it’s possible he’s made his biggest impact with the other side of his craft: DJing. Delivering his kaleidoscopic taste with a mixing technique that nods as much to his British lineage as it does to a smoother European style, he has distinguished himself with sets as classy as they are utterly party rocking. After his much talked about set at the inaugural Pitch Music & Arts, you better believe that Midland might just be the best on ground in 2020. Soundcloud
Carista (NL) More than just a DJ, Carista is the Utrecht native who founded and curated the United Identities imprint and platform, a project that expresses the soul, electronic, house, and garage genres that her sets maintain. Holding monthly slots on NTS and Red Light Radio, her 2018 Boiler Room x Dekmantel appearance earned her more than just a few more fans on a global stage. From worldly rhythms to smooth and seductive jazz pieces and gritty house classics, both her infectious well-tuned ear, timeless musical stylings, and her endlessly positive disposition keep Carista at the top of her game, and a highly sought after creative. Soundcloud
Jennifer Cardini (FRA)
An artistic visionary, a creative entrepreneur, and an icon for the LGBTQI community, Jennifer Cardini’s career is jumping from strength to strength. Since relocating to Berlin from Paris, Cardini created her own imprint, Correspondent Records, reflecting this key sound. Today the label is considered one of the industries’ most influential, releasing productions from the likes of Red Axes, Andhim, and Marvin & Guy to name a few. No stranger to playing to huge international audiences, Cardini has played headline sets at Burning Man, Nuits Sonores, ADE, and smalltown alongside Ben Klock and Mind Against in early 2019, as well as appearing regularly at Fabric and Berghain nightclubs. Soundcloud
TERR (BRA)
Terr is the project of Daniela Caldellas, a Barcelona-based DJ-producer who grew up in Brazil’s Belo Horizonte. Her unique sound, a cross-pollination of Italo-cosmic house and techno, landed her a debut release on Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings. Since then she has released on other world-renowned labels including Correspondant, Permanent Vacation and Phantasy. Recently, Caldellas has set up her own label Clash Lion, alongside Shall Ocin and Daniel Watts. The label broke through instantly with the first release being a new production from Maceo Plex’s side project Maetrik. Her impressive talent saw her recently being signed to Temporary Secretary, the same agency which homes world-class acts like Dixon, Gerd Janson, me and more. Soundcloud
Marcel Dettmann (GER) (Two DJ sets)
DJ and producer Marcel Dettmann is recognised as one of the most influential proponents of contemporary techno. Widely associated with iconic places like Berghain, Otsgut Ton and Hard Wax, Dettmann stays true to his roots by consistently innovating his interpretation of electronic music. His label MDR (Marcel Dettmann Records) serves as a platform upon which to shape his musical vision, and through its releases, he launches new talent onto the scene. As a curator and producer, Dettmann fosters the call to create in a way which is equally timeless and innovative. His own releases comprise of two albums on Ostgut Ton, numerous singles and remixes for artists of various genre. In what is a very special event, the techno legend will be playing two sets at Pitch Music & Arts: one blistering techno set, and another focussed on his unique take on house music. Soundcloud
SPFDJ (SWE)
Not many DJs can claim to experience as meteoric, grassroots ascent as SPFDJ. Having established remarkable energy, style and attitude on the underground techno circuits of both London and Berlin, she is known for inspiring debauchery and sweat-soaked hedonism on an international scale. Typically operating at a blisteringly high-tempo, an SPFDJ trip takes no prisoners in it’s an exploration of strains of techno, acid, EBM, hardcore and trance. It’s a style that Ben UFO called “utterly ruthless”, and one that more and more clubbers are submitting to; a gleefully chaotic two-fingers to dance music’s self-serious establishment. Don’t miss out on one of the world’s most exciting DJs. Soundcloud
DJ BORING (AUS)
In 2016, DJ BORING, sent shockwaves through the underground when his track ‘Winona’ appeared on the iconic Slav Youtube channel. The track, comprised of simple, melodramatic chords, a syncopated 909 groove, and a sampled Winona Ryder interview, not only changed the landscape of house music but seemed to define dance music for a new generation. Since then, DJ BORING’s relocation from Melbourne to London has seen him headline sets at Life and Death, AVA Festival, Nuits Sonores, and Melt, earning a reputation as one of the most exciting artists of this generation. Since his debut on DJ Haus’ E-Beamz, he has released music on Lost Palms, LPH White, and his newly founded label, Vienna. DJ BORING’s abilities as an artist are beyond simply being able to write clever melodies and stomping rhythms. His unique talent lies in knowing when to pull back when to go all-in, an instinct that usually takes years of development, but he has got down pat. Soundcloud
Shubostar (KOR)
Hailing from South Korea, Shubostar has been immersing herself in the ever-evolving underground scene of South Korea and Thailand before relocating to Mexico. Her eclectic music taste spans through various styles but her music has a common theme binding it all together: Cosmic. if you boil it down her music style can be described as Cosmic disco: a base of disco but with more techno elements, often referred to as Dark Disco. In 2018 she also launched her own label ‘uju Records’ with Korean painter Daryung Kim. Only a couple of release deep, the label is already turning heads with its highly evocative sounds of disco, slo-mo house and, of course, cosmic techno. Soundcloud
Robert Hood (Live)(USA)
Robert Hood needs little introduction. Founding member of the legendary group Underground Resistance as a ‘Minister Of Information’ with ‘Mad’ Mike Banks & Jeff Mills, his seminal works on Jeff Mill’s Axis and his very own M-Plant imprint paved the way for a wave of stripped-down dancefloor minimalism that directed much of techno’s path throughout the late Nineties. Robert Hood makes minimal Detroit techno with an emphasis on soul and experimentation over flash and popularity. Having recorded for Metroplex, Jeff Mills’ Axis label, as well as Patrick Pulsingers ‘Cheap’ label, Peacefrog, and more recently Music Man, Hood also owns and operates the M-Plant imprint, through which he’s released the bulk of his solo material. Soundcloud
Skatebård (NOR)
Skatebård is the Norwegian producer of all things electronic. Connoisseurs know that his catalogue oscillates between emotional techno, neo-italo, electro from an alternative future and a Scando-cosmic reinterpretation of pure Detroitian house. His production skills are legendary and he has released on tastemaker labels ranging from Digitalo Enterprises / Kompakt to Radius Records to Supersoul Recordings and Sex Tags Mania. There aren’t many DJs who can maintain a party like Skatebård, his set will be unmissable. Soundcloud
Objekt (UK)
Objekt has built a reputation as one of the must-see DJs of his generation. Though techno is still his centre of gravity, his club sets trace ever-wider orbits, typically encompassing electro, house, acid, bass music, DnB, dub and unclassifiable club music across a broad tempo spectrum. These virtuoso voyages are made possible by adeft, highly technical mixing style, along with a technician’s mindset honed through his years working as an instrument developer at music software company Native Instruments. In 2016 Hertz recorded ‘Kern Vol. 3′, a mix CD for Berlin techno institution Tresor, which was described by Resident Advisor as “a window into the very essence of DJing”. Recent years have also seen him deepen his ties with Freerotation in Wales and Dekmantel in Amsterdam, where he performs year upon year, as well as playing an increasing number of all-night-long sets. Soundcloud
Telephones (NOR)
As a DJ and producer Telephones has gained a solid reputation for his free-spirited curveball-style, mixing anything from rough Chicago tracks, Balearic tutti-frutti and proto-house to Italo, cosmic techno workouts. A firm believer in quality over quantity, Telephones has released a sparse, but highly sought after discography on acclaimed underground labels like Running Back, Sex Tags UFO, Acido, Love On The Rocks and Full Pupp. 2019 also saw the birth of his new label, European Carryall, an imprint which so far has released three highly-sought original productions for Telephones. Soundcloud
Collarbones (Live)(AUS)
Collarbones is Adelaide’s Travis Cook and Sydney’s Marcus Whale. It’s been ten years since, as teenagers, they met on a post-rock message board, beginning a storied union that’s seen the release of three albums of sinewy electronic pop. Navigating a dark facade of online curios with a lyrical vulnerability shaped by classic R&B songwriting and performance, Collarbones pairs the rhythmic mechanics of club music with raw vocal power. Known for live performances that range from the kinetic to the absurd, Collarbones have circuited the country many times over their career, performing everywhere from packed home-bases like Oxford Art Factory and Goodgod to empty regional RSL clubs, from seated theatres to large outdoor festivals. Soundcloud
DJ Nobu (JAP)
Japan’s DJ Nobu is one of a kind; a DJ with no fixed style but instead a very real ability to draw on a wide world of music and cook up his own unique sound spaces. He is something of a cult figure for those who know with decades of experience, all of which are distilled at his acclaimed party ‘Future Terror’, his label ‘Bitta’ and his few choice production outings. All of this has slowly but surely turned Nobu from being one of Japan’s to one of the world’s most in-demand selectors who is famously flexible and ever-evolving. Soundcloud
Fleetmac Wood (AUS)
With exclusive remixes and edits crafted for the dance floor, this DJ set and AV show is not a tribute act, but a rave that re-frames the music of Fleetwood Mac. Twirling through disco, techno and house, DJs Roxanne Roll and Smooth Sailing have taken this dance party from Berlin to Burning Man and shared their passion with like-minded hedonists around the world. Soundcloud
Pitch Music & Arts 2020
Friday 6th March – Monday 10th March
